How WhatsApp Can Build a Stronger Supply Chain

When 2021 began, a survey asked shoppers if they still wanted to shop at regular stores after experiencing the ease and convenience of doorstep delivery that online shopping brought forth during the pandemic, and the majority said yes.

Consumers still want to step into their favourite stores and feel the product in their hands, compare it with other nearby options, and then make the purchase!

May it be the fresh green vegetables or the funky glassware, consumers enjoy the experience of spending the time choosing what to get and then feeling the satisfaction of owning it post-purchase.

But as the generations progress, Gen X and Baby boomers are now moving away to make space for more millennials and Gen Y shoppers. So the concern for FMCG today is not only to provide the retail experience shoppers love, but also to be able to support the urgent demand their shoppers have.

Because, unlike Gen X and Baby boomers who are brand loyalists, these younger generations will willingly switch brands at a flick, if they are given the right bait. They will not see a new biscuit advertisement today and wait till next Tuesday to eat it. If they don’t find the biscuit when they want it, they will immediately find a good option and forget about that TV ad.

This has been going on for ages.
But in this modern age, we have found a solution to this age-old problem.

We realised that the reason consumers fail to find their desired products in-store is due to a weak supply chain ecosystem where communication between the manufacturer, the distributor and the retailer, is broken. Retailers and distributors wait for days for the company sales rep to come and take the order and bring the stock. This results in stockouts at retail shops.

But by using WhatsApp, “THE” communication app used by almost every 3rd person in the world, Bizom can now solve this time-old problem for FMCG brands.

Bizom’s FMCG WhatsApp Ordering Bot gives retailers and distributors the ability to place orders directly to the company via WhatsApp messaging.

The WhatsApp bot will identify which seller is trying to place the order and will also inform sellers if any schemes and discounts are applicable on the order placed. The bot is pre-integrated to the Bizom DMS, so even the distributors can view the orders placed by retailers and begin the fulfilment process.

So now, after seeing that biscuit ad on TV today, the customer can most likely find the product in-store the next day and consume it. Further, if they like the product, they will become brand evangelists and tell more people around them who have seen the biscuit ad about how great that biscuit is. Thus, motivating others to go find the biscuit in stores near them.

And that’s how WhatsApp is helping FMCG brands create a stronger supply chain ecosystem and grow their customer base by providing a great shopping experience.

Bizom’s FMCG WhatsApp Ordering bot also creates a direct communication channel between the company and their sellers, and helps outdoor advertising and digital ad campaigns justify their worth better. Most importantly, it helps brands prevent losing out on sales opportunities when the salesman fails to visit the retailer and take the order.

This means that companies will be able to lose their dependency on the sales reps to get them sales every day and will even get more sales orders as sellers can place orders any time of the day.

Also, by creating their own FMCG WhatsApp ordering bot, brands get the opportunity to make their long tail products visible and available to the retailers, which normally gets missed by the salesman when they visit, due to the shortage of time.

To know more about Bizom’s WhatsApp ordering bot, connect with us at marketing@mobisy.com to schedule a free demo.